Port Adelaide's Stephen Williams and Norwood's Phil Gallagher hold the Williams-Gallagher Cup ahead of the clash at The Parade on Sunday. Image: David Mariuz.

STEPHEN WILLIAMS knows the rivalry between Port Adelaide and Norwood better than most.

A member of the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame, Williams was involved in eight premierships as a player and three as coach, taking special pride in the wins over the Redlegs.

Ahead of Port Adelaide’s trip to the Parade on Sunday to take on last season’s premier, it has been announced that the Williams-Gallagher Cup – named in honour of two families which have contributed so much as the respective clubs – will be reinstated and presented at the end of the match.

The cup was first presented in 1991 to the club that had the best head-to-head record at the end of the season.

Following the Magpies’ win over Norwood by seven points in Round 5, Tyson Goldsack’s men have the upper hand as they look to bring the cup back to Alberton.

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“It is always nice when there is some silverware to play for,” Williams said of the cup that bares his family’s name.

“There is only one cup at the end of the season that everyone wants but this is a good chance for the two clubs to battle it out and take a piece of silverware home.”

It is thought the cup has not been awarded since 2016, but it was recently found at Alberton and reinstated after discussions between the clubs.

For Williams, it is a perfect way to celebrate a rivalry that lives strong in the minds of players and supporters from both sides of town.

A recent review of Port Adelaide’s records by the club’s history committee has presented the incredible statistic that in 417 meetings between the sides, the ledger stands with the Magpies winning 198 to Norwood’s 202 wins, with 17 draws.

Stephen Williams says the rivalry still lives strong in his mind. Image: David Mariuz.

It is a divide that does not surprise Williams.

“It’s always been tough for Norwood to come down and win at Alberton and hard for us to win at The Parade,” he explained.

“It was always a bumper crowd, lots of banter between the supporters and if you beat Norwood at Norwood, you knew you were travelling well.

“A rivalry is not a rivalry if one club dominates the other – because the overall win-loss record is so close ladder position never made much difference. It was a tough game coming up against Norwood whether they were top or bottom.”

The rivalry continues to be fierce today, with Port Adelaide most recently taking the points against the Redlegs in Round 5. Image: Matt Sampson.

Norwood and SA Football Hall of Fame member Phil Gallagher told Norwood’s website that he had fond memories of his involvement in the Norwood-Port Adelaide rivalry.

“The Norwood V Port rivalry, it always meant a hell of a lot,” the four-time Norwood premiership player said.

“My family has been involved in this Port Adelaide V Norwood Rivalry for many decades, I think it is a great thing that the Cup is being recognised again.

“I remember talking to my father (Sam Gallagher), and he always used to say Port were the benchmark of the competition and if you played well against them you could actually play.”

Both sides will be keen to build some momentum from the match, with Norwood having enjoyed its first victory of the season in Monday’s game against South Adelaide and Port having won four of its past six matches.

Goldsack’s side will feature former Norwood players Tom Jonas, Orazio Fantasia, Trent Dumont and Cody Szust, and has not won at the Parade since Round 2, 2017.

Sunday’s game will get underway at 2:10pm with the presentation of the Williams-Gallagher Cup by either the Williams or Gallagher family to follow.